Blinded by Colors
by Enter the Extinct Age
Summary: Draco and Hermione hate each other with a fiery passion...or do they? hopefully very IC Draco for all you lovely people, r/r please!
1. Crimson

            Hermione gasped at the sight of the scarlet train before her; even though she saw it every year it still made her spine tingle with anticipation of the year that was to come.  She pushed her trolley forward and heaved with the weight of it when a hand stopped her on the handles.  She looked up indignantly.

            "Excuse me, but I think I'm more than capable –"

            "Oh shut up Hermione, you're suffering!" Hermione's face broke out into a huge smile.  

            "Ron!!!"  Ron grinned and accepted the huge hug Hermione was now giving him, although he looked a little frightened at the show of affection.

            "Who were you expecting, Malfoy?" This was said in a joking matter but Hermione's eyes narrowed as she pulled away from the hug.

            "Come on Ron; don't spoil this by bringing that git into the conversation!" Ron shrugged.

            "Right, sorry!  So how have you been?" he asked, pushing her cart towards the train.  She grinned.

            "Actually, very well.  Dad closed down his dentistry (and I know that shouldn't be a happy thing) but now I get to see him all the time…it's fab really."  Ron smiled.  

            "Good!  Did you hear that my dad got promoted?" She gasped.  

            "No!  Tell me all about it!" she replied excitedly.  Hermione had always felt that Mr. Weasley deserved much more than what he got, and was truly very happy for him.

            "Well, Fudge's been pressured by Dumbledore ever since…" he stopped uncomfortably and Hermione nodded at him to go on.  "Yes well, Dumbledore advised Dad to try and get a promotion so that he'd have a bigger influence on decisions and all that, and Dad agreed, so after showing Fudge some" his face darkened slightly, "'proper wizarding pride' he got his promotion."

            "That's great Ron!" Hermione said ecstatically.  He nodded looking a little happier.

            "Yeah…and he even got me a Nimbus!" Now his freckled face was lit up with ecstasy and Hermione laughed. 

            "Just like you, to think about flying!  Come on, let's go then."  

            The chatter of excited students reached their ears.  They grinned from ear to ear when they saw their other best friend Harry Potter standing next to Ron's little sister Ginny and his twin brothers Fred and George.

            "Trust Ginny to find you first, eh mate?" Ron asked laughing, pushing Hermione's trolley towards the small cluster.  Harry grinned as Ginny blushed.  Hermione smiled at him, then at Ginny who she had come to know a little more during the World Cup.  Ginny grinned back and then watched as Ron and Harry talked more.

            "So there you are! Went straight to find Hermione then?" Harry ducked the swipe Ron aimed at him still grinning at the sight of his best friends.  "Let's get on the train then, we don't want to get a bad compartment."  Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement, and they all waved goodbye to Ginny, Fred and George.  Hermione noticed that Ginny looked incredibly crestfallen.

            "Gin, you want to come with us?"  Ginny smiled and nodded gratefully.  Ron groaned, but shut up after Hermione sent him her very best 'don't push it' look.  Those were always very effective. The train whistle was shrill and ear piercing as they boarded the train laughing happily at each other's summer stories.  Every single year, without fail, the train ride was perfect.  Nothing ever spoiled it; even visits from their more unwelcome classmates were laughed off later.  

            They walked a little further down, occasionally being stopped to have some admiring first year talk to Harry, who would awkwardly pat down his fringe as Hermione, Ron and Ginny sniggered behind him.  Soon enough however, they came to an empty compartment.

            "Here we go!" Ron said happily, flinging himself onto a seat heavily and causing the whole compartment to shake precariously.

            "Ron! For heaven's sakes!" Hermione reprimanded disapprovingly, sitting herself down carefully next to him.  Ron and Ginny laughed.

            "Oh Ron's just been flinging himself everywhere lately, it's become some sort of a hobby with him," Ginny explained.  

            "Doesn't surprise me in the slightest," Harry remarked casually, sitting down next to Ginny and across from the other two.  She went faintly pink, but not the deep crimson everyone had known her to turn before.  After a minute's awkward pause, Ginny rummaged through her bag and produced a small green leather bound book, in which she started to write in rapidly.  Everyone jumped and Ron paled considerably.

            "Ginny…" Ginny looked up, saw their faces and laughed.

            "Goodness, I'm not that thick!  Percy gave this to me on my birthday this summer."  They all breathed out, relieved.  

            "Hey Hermione," Harry said suddenly, "what did you do all summer?"

            "Hung out with my dad mostly," Hermione said, smiling once more.  

            "Sounds nice," Harry replied, taking out his moneybag and extracting a few coins.  "Wonder when the trolley's going to come around?" Ron shrugged.

            "She'll be around once we start off I reckon…someone's hungry."  Harry grinned sheepishly.  

            "Well, the Dursleys haven't been so…generous with the food lately."  Hermione narrowed her eyes.  She never liked that family, from the time she saw his overly large uncle at the platform in first year.

            "They haven't been mistreating you again have they Harry?" she asked worriedly.  "If they have, we'll tell Dumbledore and he can fix it-"

            Harry cut in.  "No more than usual, don't worry about it." Hermione let it drop, but made a mental note of the conversation for later.  

            Suddenly, the train started to move.  Ginny squealed as she was thrown off of her seat and Harry caught her quickly.  _Now she turned the scarlet they all knew so well, muttering a small thanks.  Hermione gripped the sides hard; she didn't want to get thrown off of her seat, thank you very much.  With one final lurch, the train was chugging steadily along its merry way. _

*****

            "Crabbe!"  The idiot in question blundered forward and grunted.  "Where is Goyle this year?" The figure shrugged. "Cripes…"  

            Draco Malfoy was back on the train he tried to avoid every year…the Hogwarts Express.  He remembered vividly the arguments he had had with his mother about transferring to Durmstrang instead of coming back to this-to this _monstrosity that the Mudblood lover himself presided over.  But his mother was having nothing of it, even though his Father had agreed; to hell with them both!_

            "I think he transferred," came the abrupt reply, two minutes too late.  Draco jumped and then scowled. 

            "His parents let him transfer?  This is bloody unfair beyond belief!" he groaned, leaning back into the red velvet plush seats.  Crabbe grunted.  "And stop that incessant grunting, you're giving me a headache."  Crabbe fell silent.  "Moron."  

            Draco surveyed his surroundings in disbelief.  The perhaps stupidest human being that ever walked the face of the earth was at the best school that a Slytherin could ever hope to go to.  Well that was fine.  

            "Let's go make someone annoyed Crabbe, I'm bored," he drawled, and they both got up and started walking out of their car.  

*****

            Both Ginny and Hermione shrieked as the small red circle exploded with a SNAP! Ron and Harry roared with laughter. 

            "Oh shut up, it took us by surprise!" Hermione mumbled, embarrassed.  

            "Well what were you expecting? We are playing Exploding Snap after all you know, "Ron chortled.  

            "I know that," Hermione snapped, eyeing the red circles on the bright and cheery yellow board darkly.  Ginny giggled.  

            "Shall we put that away then?" she asked, trying to sound casual but coming out a little shaky.  Harry smiled kindly at her.

            "Sure."  Ginny smiled back up at him and there was a silence in which they were just looking at each other, Ginny's face steadily reddening, before Ron cleared his throat very loudly.

            "Get something caught in there?" Hermione asked.  Ron scowled.  Harry and Ginny jumped and then started laughing at Ron's dark expression.  

            "Lighten up Ron!"  Harry said jovially, leaning back once again.  All of a sudden, the door burst open and there stood the…_two people they hated most?_

***          **

            The first thing Draco noticed was the confused looks he was getting at there only being two of them and not the usual three. The second thing he noticed was the littlest Weasley brat blushing hard and staring at Potter obliviously.  The third thing he noticed was that Granger had decided to keep her hair like it was at the Yule Ball and that it was straight and shiny; it looked good.  Draco raised an eyebrow before placing his trademark Malfoy smirk that he mastered on his face.  

            "Well, well, well, isn't this _charming?" he said sarcastically.  Crabbe guffawed automatically, but somehow the effect wasn't as good with only one guffawer.  Draco scowled as Weasley and Potter started to laugh. _

            "Where's the third little pig Malfoy?" Ron asked chuckling.  "Been blown away by the big bad wolf?" Draco rolled his eyes.

            "Got a transfer. Damned lucky if he got out of being with you miscreants."

            "Malfoy got a dictionary," Harry said mockingly.  "Now I can insult him and he'll know what it means!" 

            "That's right. Bully for me," Draco replied sarcastically.  "Did the summer make everyone feel jolly again?" Everyone looked puzzled.

            "What do you mean by that?" Ron asked with the hint of a growl in his deep voice.  Draco laughed softly, nastily.  Hermione narrowed her eyes and Draco ignored it.  He was far too used to that to care.  

            "I mean, did the summer make you forget what happened last year? Trying to block it out?"  Now this was more like it; every Gryffindor in the compartment looked furious.  Draco smirked, congratulating himself silently for getting a reaction of out them finally.  

            "Get. Out." Harry said through clenched teeth.  Draco smirked more widely than ever and then said nonchalantly, 

            "Well I reckon you wouldn't be trying so hard if Potter here hadn't killed Diggory…shame, he wasn't _so bad."  Ron roared with fury and leapt at him; Draco sidestepped it and then slid out of the car gracefully, hearing Ron cursing below his breath on the other side._

            "Well I think that went well, don't you?" he remarked to Crabbe.  He grunted. 

*****

**            "How _dare he!" Hermione said after the tense silence became too unbearable.  Ginny looked terrified, Harry looked thoughtful and moody, Ron murderous._**

            "That little slimy bastard!" Ron burst out indignantly.  "Like his dad hasn't killed a good many people! The nerve!"  Hermione nodded in fervent agreement, red hot rage spreading throughout her.  No one, NO ONE, insulted her friends and got away with it.  Even if it meant detention.  That's saying a lot; Hermione Granger never, EVER gets detention.  She glanced over at Harry, concern etched into every fold of her face; he didn't deserve what that idiot threw at him.  

            As quickly as the train ride had started, it ended. It was the first one that wasn't perfect.  "Damn him!!!" Hermione said suddenly, picking up her cloak and walking out of the carriage in a huff.  Ron followed, and Harry and Ginny straggled behind.  

*****

            "Ah Hogwarts," Draco said as he flung open the door and hit someone in the face, ignoring the shriek of pain that came from them.  "How I missed you so!" This was said very sarcastically as he walked off of the train and onto the concrete floor where he waited impatiently for the carriages to come and pick the fifth years up.  And then, soon enough even for Draco Malfoy's liking, the carriages had come, they had scrambled on, and he was off for Hogwarts with Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Blaise Zabini. 


	2. Black

            The Great Hall was as beautiful as usual as the students filed in, chattering noisily away.  Hermione, despite her love of rules, was one of the loudest people there as she laughed at Ron's jokes and Harry trying to keep a straight face.  Ginny had gone off with Fred and George, which made Ron very happy, and was now sitting with a transfer from Salem Academy in America and talking happily.  Hermione was glad to see her make a new friend so quickly, but all Harry and Ron could think about was the Feast.  

        Dumbledore sent a cannon shot out of his wand for silence, and he got his wish almost immediately.  He smiled.  "Thank you for your cooperation.  For the first years, welcome to Hogwarts!  I do hope that you enjoy your stay here.  If you ever need assistance with anything, ask a Prefect or a friendly face; we have plenty."  Hermione could see Draco Malfoy fighting to laugh at that, which made her narrow her eyes and count to fifteen so she wouldn't curse him.  "Also…a word on last year."  The Hall fell silent.  Dumbledore surveyed them all with his now somber eyes.  "I don't think I need to tell you that the danger here and everywhere has increased dramatically.  It's up to all of you whether to keep it that way or not."  He let the silence fall for a couple seconds before sitting down and making a gesture with his wand.  At once, the golden plates were filled with practically every kind of food one could think of. 

        Ron grabbed at once at a chicken leg and gnawed on it happily.  Hermione rolled her eyes and poured herself some pumpkin juice while talking.  "I think that this year will be all right, as far as years go."  Harry raised his eyebrow (or at least attempted to), which made Ron roar with laughter.

        "Nice try Harry," he spluttered, cleaning up the sprayed chicken with his napkin a little sheepishly.  Hermione wrinkled her nose.  

        "Gross."  Ron grinned; his grin was always irresistible to Hermione, as it always made her smile.  

        "Yes well, that's just me."  Hermione laughed and started cutting up a steak into tiny little pieces.  Harry, meanwhile, was eating a jacket potato with relish.  "They really did starve you, didn't they mate?" Ron's voice had concern in it, and Harry looked up.  

        "Forget about it, I'm here now right?" he said grinning.  Hermione and Ron grinned back, although both internally worried.  The clang of a wand on glass made the room silent once more as Dumbledore stood up a second time.

        "So sorry to interrupt, but I quite forgot something: there is a Prefect's meeting after the Feast in the Trophy Room.  Please make it a priority to come.  Thank you."  He sat down again and the Prefects in the room glowed with pride.  However, Harry groaned softly.

        "Damn, I was hoping to unpack," he said, looking down at his Prefect's badge with distaste.  Hermione clicked her tongue disapprovingly.  

        "If you really don't want it Harry, you should tell Dumbledore…I'm sure he's give it to Ron," Hermione said with a hint of a tease in it, looking at her own shiny Prefect's badge happily.  Ron shook his head, mouth full of potato.

        "No way!  There is no way I'm being carted off to being a Prefect thank you 'Mione!" He replied indignantly (once he had swallowed his food).  Hermione giggled.

        "I was just joking Ron," she said lightly, looking more and more like she wished the end of the Feast would come so she could go to her meeting.  Contrary to previous years, the Sorting would take place after the Feast and not before it.  Professor McGonagall brought the hat out onto its stool and everyone ate the last bits of their meal quietly as it opened its brim and began to sing:

_A year at Hogwarts_

_Is one to behold; _

_The coming of young_

_And the leaving of old._

_But where do you fit?_

_Where to belong?_

_I'll tell you now_

_With this simple song!_

_In Gryffindor live the brave and the true,_

_With nerves of steel and good will._

_If you love adventure_

_Here's the place for you._

_Or how about Hufflepuff?_

_The loyal and steadfast:_

_Valuing friendship and honesty,_

_You'll find your friends here will last._

_In Ravenclaw, my friends,_

_You'll find your students so bright:_

_Those with wit and like learning_

_Will have this house to them invite._

_Last but not least, our slippery friends:_

_Slytherin houses those with ambition. _

_Cunning and sly like their mascots beholds,_

_Only those with these skills will gain admission._

_The four houses of Hogwarts _

_Are varied and respected._

_So don't fret, just try me on!_

_I'll tell you where you're expected._

        There was much applause for the song (A/N: not for that sucky poem!!! J) and everyone watched as the first years started to get Sorted.  Hermione turned back to Harry and Ron saying excitedly in a low voice, "I can't wait for this Prefect's meeting it should be fascinating!"  Ron snorted.

        "Yeah right-'how many points shall we take off if there is brawling in the corridors Professor?'" he mimicked, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy.  Harry stifled his laughter and Hermione sighed with frustration.

        "Honestly, no wonder you're no a Prefect!" Ron just pretended to gag, leaving Hermione very annoyed.  

--

        After the feast, everyone was too full and too tired to want to do anything.  Ron yawned largely and then grinned at the equally exhausted Harry and Hermione behind him.  "You two have to go to your meeting!" he said.  Harry groaned, but was cut short when Hermione brightened up and then dragged him but his robe sleeve to the meeting room.  Ron saluted to Harry laughing before running up the stairs with Seamus and Dean, who were talking animatedly about Quidditch starting up again.  

        Hermione let Harry go only once they were in the meeting room.  It was entirely black, with the exception of the colorful chairs.  Harry massaged his arm, in pain from Hermione dragging him, and watched in amusement as Hermione looked around with wide eyes.  She selected two seats and motioned for Harry to sit next to her.  He complied, and they waited for the rest to come in.  They nodded to the Ravenclaw prefects (Padma Patil and Terry Boot) and the Hufflepuffs (Hannah Abbott and Justin Flinch-Fletchley) as they came in, looking apprehensive.  Their jaws dropped however, when the two smug looking Slytherins walked in.  

        "What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry asked tensely.  Malfoy smirked. 

        "What you're doing here Potter- learning about the sacred duty of being a Prefect.  I expect Granger here is salivating just thinking about it."  Although he came alarmingly close to the truth, Hermione defiantly glared at him.  Her gaze shifted to the very pretty girl standing next to him.  

        "Blaise Zabini.  Pleasure, I'm sure."  Hermione said sarcastically.  Blaise shrugged.  

        "It's not, but whatever you want to think."  They took a chair each and sat on them, Blaise with legs crossed and Malfoy slouching rather moodily.  Hermione noticed that while Blaise had her pin placed prominently on her breast pocket, Malfoy didn't have his on at all.  The temporary awkward silence was ended when Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick came in, looking around at them all critically.  Despite her confident demeanor, Hermione squirmed under the inspection.  Dumbledore beamed at them.  

        "The new Prefects of Hogwarts! Welcome!  This will be very brief as I'm sure you all are itching to get some sleep."  He smiled kindly and Hermione and Harry grinned back.  "Now, the prefect bathroom is behind the statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor.  The password this year is _Riverdance."  Harry, Hermione and the other Muggle familiar people in the room started laughing.  Malfoy and Blaise looked confused; not a very flattering look for them.  "So, as Prefects of your houses you must be a role model for all students.  You must try to get along," he eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor and Slytherin prefects, "or pretend.  And as the times are getting ever more difficult, you must be prepared to step in and help the staff at any time." The new Prefects nodded and Dumbledore dismissed them with a wave of his hand.  Hermione was grinning like a kid at the circus as they left.  _

        "This is going to be a fab year don't you think?" she asked Harry as they climbed up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.  Harry couldn't help but laugh at her excited face.

        "Yup."

--

        Draco and Blaise split off from the rest of the Prefects to start walking down the dungeons.  Draco took his Prefect badge out of his pocket and started dragging it along the wall as he walked, making tiny sparks from the metal on rock.  Blaise rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm.  

        "Do you want to get your bloody robes on fire?" she hissed.  Draco scowled and pulled his arm away.  

        "I don't remember you asking to play Granger for me," he drawled, and got a not-so-light punch in the shoulder for his comment.  "Jesus Zabini that hurt," he said, rubbing his shoulder scowling harder.  She smirked in a very Slytherin fashion.

        "That was the general point idiot."  They got to the gargoyles and she said "Firebolt."  The stone wall slid open and they walked through.  "I hate that password," Blaise said as they were entering the common room.  Draco raised an eyebrow.

        "Why, because you've never made the team?"  Blaise ignored him and went up the girl's staircase.  "Priss," he muttered as he walked up the stairs to his own dorm.  Home sweet home.

--

        The next morning was hard getting up after a summer of sleeping in.  Hermione groaned and rolled out of bed, hitting the floor with a 'thud'.  Her bunkmates started laughing.

        "Graceful Hermione," Parvati commented giggling.  Hermione scowled, her hair a mess around her face.  

        "Thank you."  She got up and walked straight to the bathroom, getting her wand out.  She had just discovered a spell that did what Sleekeasy's Hair Potion did without the oozy gel she hated so much.  A mumbled spell quickly made her hair tame, and Hermione patted it, satisfied.  She pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt and slung her robes over her arm, walking out of her dorm room to bump into a petite redhead.  They both fell back on the floor, still slightly sleepy.  Ginny looked up at Hermione grinning sheepishly.

        "Sorry about that," she said, getting up and offering Hermione a hand.  Hermione took it gratefully.

        "No problem."  Hermione brushed herself off while Ginny waited patiently.  She was dressed in a cute denim skirt, sandals and t-shirt.  Her own robes were over her shoulder; clearly, neither was a big fan of the robes.  Ginny sighed wearily.

        "I suppose it's time to go down to breakfast now huh?"  Hermione nodded, looking at her watch and then making a face.

        "7:00. _Way too early to be up and about!" Ginny laughed and nodded in agreement, and the two started down the stairs for breakfast._

        They met Ron and Harry at the bottom of the stairs, talking to the Salem transfer interestedly.  

        "So you mean to tell me they play rugby with padding?" Harry asked starting to laugh.  The blonde witch laughed.

        "Yeah kinda wimpy," she said, blue eyes twinkling prettily.  Ginny grinned at the sight of her new friend and took Hermione by the arm to introduce her.

        "Hermione Granger, this is Nora Swanson.  She's from California."  Nora turned around and smiled at Hermione extending her hand.  Hermione shook it. 

        "Nice to meet you."  Nora was looking at her curiously.

        "So you're Hermione Granger?"  A little fazed, Hermione nodded.  Nora smiled wider.  "I've heard so much about you- these two can't stop raving, and neither can Gin."  Hermione blushed and her friends laughed.  

        "Yes, she's brilliant," Ron put in.  "Top of the class and all that."  Nora nodded.

        "I figured."  She turned to Ginny.  "Ready to go downstairs?" she asked, her American accent becoming ever more apparent.  

        "Yeah let's go."  Ginny waved at the trio as they left and Hermione smiled.  

        "It's good she found a friend."  Ron and Harry agreed.  

        "She's really interesting," Harry said as they started to walk down themselves.  "Did you know that Americans eat cheese out of a spray can?"  Hermione made a face. 

        "Gross!"  Ron roared with laughter at her expression.

        "I reckon Fred and George would love that; think of the pranks!"  Hermione and Harry laughed with him, feeling happy now that school had started.

--

        Draco swaggered into the Great hall feeling very confident with himself.  He'd had a good long sleep, for the first time in a long time, and was reunited with his Slytherin friends.  Yes, he had friends besides for Crabbe and Goyle.  The atmosphere was amicable when everyone started to eat and the owls swooped in; everyone was glad to be back with their friends from school.  Draco was just biting into a croissant when a huge black owl caught his (and everyone else's) attention.  It landed in front of Dumbledore, and despite himself, Draco was interested.  Dumbledore read the letter attached and then stood up.

        "Would a Prefect from each house please come up?"  Draco looked around for Blaise, but she was doubtless still sleeping.  Scowling, he got up and walked to the Staff Table.  Granger was already up there, along with Terry Boot and that kid who got Petrified three years ago.  He scowled deeply and waited for Dumbledore to say something.  They all waited patiently as he scanned the letter again, frowning.  Draco watched people pass by him, already going to get ready for their next classes.  The Weasley girl was walking by with the American blonde, talking.  Draco thought up some new insults in his head out of boredom and then looked over as Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak.  

        The letter rose up and there was a huge flash of red light; it covered the entire Hall with an eerie red glow.  Draco could hear the screams around him as he fell onto the floor.  Then there was black.


	3. White

            Hermione opened her eyes slowly and gasped when she realized she was in the Hospital Wing.  The whiteness of the sheets was tinted blue by the powerful darkness- tainted.  There were three beds around her with the curtains shut tight; she hated to think who was in there.  Tentatively, she whispered into the darkness, "Who's in here?"  There was a rustling from on of the beds, and Hermione shivered with apprehension as the curtain slowly opened.  She let out the breath she had been holding in shock when the narrow gray eyes peered around at her.  He had a nasty bruise forming under his white blond hair now, and despite her instincts Hermione was concerned.  

        "That's some bruise," she commented awkwardly.  Draco shrugged, but winced at the pain.

        "I'll live."  He looked to his side and saw the other two curtained beds close to them.  "Who's in there?"  

        "I dunno," Hermione said quietly.  It had all been so fast…she could hardly even remember what had happened.  Draco saw the confusion on Hermione's face instantly. 

        "I reckon Dumbledore'll explain it soon enough," he offered.  Hermione looked up and sighed, nodding, their rivalry for the moment forgotten.  

        "I hope so."  There was another silence.  "Do you think you could look in those beds and see who's in there?"  TO her surprise, he just nodded and propped himself up to look in; no witty comeback involved.  Draco squinted through the dark.  He tried to describe him for Hermione as the name escaped him.  

        "Erm…brown hair, a little freckly…oh okay, he's a Ravenclaw.  They've given him a blue hospital robe."  Hermione looked down at herself and sure enough was wearing a red one, Draco a green.  She thought hard about who it could be, who was near her when it happened.

        "Oh no, Terry Boot," she said sadly, thinking of all the pleasant study sessions she had shared with him.  Draco let out a low chuckle. 

        "He's not dead, relax.  Sleeping I think, he looks fine."  Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, but her eyes traveled to the other occupied hospital bed.  Draco followed her gaze and took it upon himself to look in there too.  A draft of wind blew through the open window gently, moving the curtains to Draco's advantage.  He whistled softly.  "_That _doesn't look good."  Hermione felt herself go cold and pale.

        "What is it?" she whispered, almost not wanting to know the answer. 

        "That girl you sometimes hang out with…Weasley's sister," he replied simply.  Hermione clutched her bedpost in horror.  

        "Ginny?"

        "Yeah, that's her," he said, looking back at the ashen faced redhead.  A stab of fear went through Hermione's stomach like a knife.  

        "But she's not-"  Draco shook his head quickly.  

        "No, she's still breathing…but barely."  Hermione groaned and put her head in her hands.  _How could this have happened?  She took in one rattly breath before asking "Is anyone else hurt?"  Draco shrugged.  _

        "I honestly don't know."  

        "Oh this is a nightmare!" she exclaimed suddenly, making Draco jump.  "Any minute now I'll-I'll wake up, and then I'll run into Ginny on the way to breakfast…" she trailed off.  

        "I doubt if even the Pomp will be able to wake Red here up for tomorrow's breakfast," he cut in gently, dashing Hermione's dream to shreds.  She glared at him.

        "I think you've made that quite clear."  Draco raised an eyebrow.

        "Hey, I'm actually being tolerable, no need for glares and such," he said, sounding indignant.  

        "Of course, you're right," she said sighing once again.  "I just-this is _Ginny we're talking about!  She probably wasn't even supposed to get in the way of whatever just happened, it wasn't her fault!"  _

        "It wasn't any of our faults Granger!"  Draco snapped, starting to sound like his old self in trying to get Hermione to see clearly.  "It was some bloody lunatic who wanted to get Potter out of the way but you came up instead!"  Hermione started.  Turning this over slowly in her head she found it made sense; sort of an assassination attempt so to speak.

        "That _does make sense…" she said slowly.  Draco's battered face went slightly into the smirk she knew so well, and it made her actually glad to see it.  _

        "Of course it makes sense!  Either that or they were after Dumbledore, but Dumbledore is too strong to get killed by that thing."  Hermione looked at him closely.

        "How do you know all this?"  Draco leaned back on his pillows.  

        "Common sense Granger, common sense- you don't think they gave me this badge for nothing do you?"  With that last comment, he rolled over to go back to sleep, leaving Hermione speechless and confused.  

--

        The next morning, the bright sunlight woke Draco up.  He groaned and held his head, which was now throbbing unpleasantly.  Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a thick green potion contained in a bottle.  Draco made a face; he knew he'd have to have some, whatever it was.  True to his prediction, she came straight to his bed.  "Open your mouth," she commanded and Draco obediently opened his mouth.  The potion slid down his throat rather unpleasantly, almost like a snake's skin.  It fizzled for a second before it settled in his stomach.  "Good."  She went to go to Terry's bed but Draco grabbed her robe sleeve.

        "What of Bucktooth and Red?" he asked, trying to make it seem like he didn't care much at all.  Madam Pomfrey mentally translated this to figure out who he was talking about before answering.

        "Miss Granger will be perfectly fine; in fact, you, she and Mr. Boot here will be free to go this afternoon.  Miss Weasley…" she sighed looking weary and upset.  "…she's not-you know, if that's what you're thinking, but she'll be in here for quite some time.  There are some things even magic can't fix.  It's all in God's hands now.  I believe Muggles call them comas?"  She walked to administer the potion to Terry and Draco stared after her, shocked.  A _coma?_  

        Across from him, Hermione began to stir.  Frantically, he searched in his mind for something to tell her besides "Your little pal won't make it Granger, she's in a coma".  Madam Pomfrey was already gone, and there was no doubt in his mind that the first thing Granger would do would be to ask about her friend.  

        Hermione opened her eyes sleepily and met Draco's admittedly panicked look.  She raised an eyebrow.  "What's happened?"  He practically had a heart attack with shock that she had talked.  

        "We can go later," he drawled nonchalantly, dodging the question.  Her face became fiercely determined; Draco knew the look all too well.  Last time she had that look on he had gotten bitch slapped, and although she was in the Hospital Wing he knew she wouldn't let that stop her.

        "What's happened?" she asked icily.  

        He motioned his head towards Ginny's bed, giving up.  "Weasley's in a coma." Hermione's face fell from determined to shocked to cheerless in the span of two seconds.  

        "Oh my God," she whispered, clutching her sheets so hard they wrinkled up immediately.  

        To his own astonishment, he found himself trying to comfort the distressed girl.  "I'm sure Madam P will be able to fix her up in two seconds," he said confidently.  Hermione looked him straight in the eyes, white as a sheet and unnerving him greatly.

        "Tell me the truth Draco."  

--

        Ron and Harry burst the door of the Hospital Wing open in a panic, scuffing the polished white surface brown with their trainers.  Madam Pomfrey met them crossly.  "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, what may I ask, are you doing?"

        Ron looked down determinedly on the little witch.  "My sister and best friend are in there Madam Pomfrey, I need to see them!"  Harry looked imploringly at her.

        "You've got to let us in!" he argued to her silence.  She sighed and said in defeat 'Five minutes'.  They thanked her quickly before bounding into the Invalid Area.

        "Hermione? Gin?" Ron said into the silence.  He heard a shocked 'Oh!' before Hermione's head popped out.  The person in the bed across from her quickly shut their curtains, but the worried friends took no notice.  

        "Ron! Harry!" she breathed happily, motioning with her hand for them to come over.  

        "Oh Lord Hermione are you all right?" Harry's concerned green eyes looked into her brown ones and she nodded.

        "I'm fine, I'm fine…Ron-"  she broke off, not wanting to be the one to tell him.  Ron looked at her in confusion.

        "Why do you look so upset?  You're fine!"  His confusion turned to horror when he saw a solitary tear slipped down her face.  

        "What is it?" Harry asked gently, but with a sense of urgency in his voice.  She took in a deep breath, steadying herself.  

        "It's Ginny..." she motioned towards Ginny's bed and the two anxious boys rushed over, rustling the curtains of Draco's bed.  He was looking at Hermione silently, but she wasn't watching him.  She was watching Ron and Harry.

        Ron made an indistinct noise in his throat before dropping into a conveniently placed chair next to the bed.  Harry put his hand over Ginny's mouth and determined that she was still breathing.  "But she's not dead," he said, sounding both relieved and concerned.  Hermione shook her head.

        "He said that magic can't help her," Hermione replied, trying desperately not to start sobbing in front of them.  "He said it's in God's hands now."  Ron turned to her.

        "He?"  She quickly realized her mistake.

        "I meant she-Madam Pomfrey."  He nodded and looked back to his little sister, looking like a sheet of ice for all of the coldness and white she displayed.  

        "If she dies I swear-" he started but Harry stopped him.

        "Don't do that.  It doesn't help."  Ron and Hermione looked at him, surprised, and he looked a little uncomfortable.

        "I've just…been through that, you know?"  They nodded in new understanding and looked down at Ginny.  Draco glanced out of his curtains onto the silent Trio; the Trio that had caused him hell for four years.  They didn't seem so remotely intimidating now.  

        Ron and Harry left shortly thereafter, Ron looking pale under his multitude of freckles.  Hermione watched them go, and it wasn't thirty seconds before Draco's curtains were open again.  

        "What do you want?" she asked without moving her head.  

        "I don't know," he said, looking at the swinging doors that were closing behind Harry and Ron.  Hermione was puzzled, but didn't let her face show it.  She turned to Draco after the doors were still.  

        "Why do you care?"  Draco looked apprehensive.

        "What do you mean 'why do I care'?" he asked.  

        "I mean, why do you care about Ginny's condition?  About me?"  Draco shrugged uncomfortably.

        "Just nice knowing I guess."  There was a minute or two of silence before Hermione turned her back to him to go to sleep.  Draco looked up at the white paneled ceiling and began to count in his head.  

        1…

        2…

        3…

--


	4. Blue

        …1345…

        …1346…

        …1347…

        Draco Malfoy was bored.  Very bored.  As he was counting very slowly, quite a lot of time had gone by.  Madam Pomfrey had come and gone, seeing that Hermione and Terry were still asleep, therefore letting them stay one more night.  Draco was grateful for this because his head still hurt like a bitch plus he didn't think he could stomach Blaise's satisfied smirk when she realized it could've been her instead of him in the Hospital cot.  He groaned and rolled over, these thoughts messing up his count.  

         Looking around, he found that Terry Boot was snoring possibly as loud as one can snore and that Ginny hadn't moved a muscle.  Hermione seemed to be breathing normally and all, but he couldn't tell whether she was up or not.  "Granger. Granger!" Draco hissed.  Hermione jumped, making Draco smirk.  "So you were up too?"  Hermione glared at him, but nodded.

        "Well yeah.  I'm not tired," she replied, sighing and propping herself up.  She looked out the window to see noting but the shadowy and foreboding Forest outline.  

        "Can't wait to get out of here," Draco said, as if trying to fill the silence.  Hermione stifled a laugh.

        "Yes you can."  Draco frowned.  

        "What does _that mean?" _

        "Face it Malfoy, your past track record gives you away- well, if the Hippogryff (sp?) incident is anything to go by."  Hermione had a small grin on her face now, remembering the awful acting of the person across from her, his groans of protest and his smirking when Harry and Ron had to help him with Potions ingredients.   Draco scowled.  

        "Well fine, have your little snicker over there," he replied resentfully, burying himself further beneath the sheets.  Hermione giggled.

        "I will, thanks."  There was a minute in which Hermione 'had her little snicker' and Draco scowled as hard as he possibly could before Hermione fully realized how very bored she was.  She reached for the nightstand; her wand wasn't there.  So magic was out.  Tapping her finger on her chin thoughtfully she thought of every Muggle game possible, most that she had used in the car on family road trips.  However, since there were no cars in the Hospital Wing, the License Plate game was out.  "Hey Malfoy," she said suddenly, making Draco jump yet again and hit his head on the bedpost.

        "Ouch…what Granger?" he asked, rubbing his head angrily.  

        "Do you know how to play Hangman?" she asked casually.  He raised an eyebrow.  

        "It sounds violent," he answered.  Hermione burst out laughing; she had to bury her head in the pillow to keep the sounds muffled.  "What?!?" Draco said, annoyed.  

        "Oh yes, it's terribly violent not to worry."  She flung her hand out onto her nightstand and caught a piece of parchment.  Not too far from that was a quill.  "Here, I'll teach you- I'm that bored," she added.  Draco rolled his eyes, but probably was as bored as she was because he didn't protest.  

--

        An hour later, Hermione was smiling happily; she had won almost every single game.  Draco was very annoyed, tapping on his hand on the bedpost that had so offended him earlier.  Here's an example of one Draco won:

__ __ __ __ __ __

    **R**  G

A    M

 **E**     **F**

**FERRET**

        "Ha, very amusing Granger," Draco had spat, angry at the outcome.  She sighed.  

        "Oh lighten up, it's just a game.  Honestly, you must have _never played games when you were little…"_

        "Was I supposed to?" Draco asked.  Hermione looked at him for a second before laughing again- but this made Draco confused.  He wasn't being sarcastic then, that was genuine.  Hermione looked up from laughing and saw the puzzled look on his face and stopped immediately.

        "You weren't joking, were you?" she asked carefully.  His head jerked around to look at her, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.  

        "It's none of your business Mudblood."  Hurt, but determined not to show it, she shrugged and picked up the parchment and quill, setting them on the nightstand next to her as they were before.  

        "Fine.  I'm going to sleep now, so amuse yourself…and don't interpret that the wrong way please."  Hermione rolled over and once again, tried to go to sleep.  Draco flipped her back the finger heatedly, but it didn't give him half as much satisfaction as it should have.  He sighed softly and tried to go to sleep himself.

--

        The next morning, Hermione, Draco and Terry were out of the Hospital Wing.  Hermione had taken one last look at Ginny, who was being visited by Nora, and then left with her wand safely in her grasp.  She and Terry started talking about what they had missed while Draco went sloping off towards the dungeons, no doubt where the Slytherin Common Rooms were.  "I'll see you in Charms," Hermione said to Terry, waving goodbye as she started to jog towards the Great Hall.  Something told her Ron and Harry would be in there.

        "Hey!" she said, coming behind the two.  They turned around and grinned widely.  

        "You're out!" Harry said, giving her a hug.  Ron looked a little wary, so Hermione just laughed and patted him on the head.

        "Good Ronnie."  Ron grinned and motioned for her to sit across from them.  She did so, making sure she wouldn't get her robes caught on something.  

        "How's Ginny?" Ron and Harry asked in unison, then laughing because of the similarity.

        "Honestly, you two spend _way too much time together," Hermione said.  "Her condition hasn't changed."_

        "Oh," replied Ron, disappointed.  There was an awkward silence before Hermione reached noisily for a piece of bread.  

        "Oh God, I forgot how good solid food tastes!" Hermione said, sinking her teeth into the still-hot bread.  Harry reached for on as well.  

        "They're not bad are they?" he remarked, biting into it himself.  Hermione shook her head, satisfied with her small-talk attempt.  All of a sudden she clamped her hand to her mouth in horror.  Ron and Harry looked at her quizzically.  

        "What's up?" Ron asked, mouth full with a roll. 

        "I missed the first day of classes! I'll be _so _behind!" she exclaimed, getting up in a hurry and knocking over the breadbasket as a result.  Harry laughed. 

        "Don't worry Hermione, they postponed classes to figure out what that…that red boomy thing was," he finished lamely.  

        "Oh," Hermione said, sitting down embarrassedly.  "Well did they figure out what it was?"  Ron shook his head.  

        "No."

--

        It didn't take Draco long to change.  Throwing on a black t-shirt, he looked out the window at the grass below.  The height of his dorm room had always pleases him; although the entrance and common room were deep in the dungeons, the dormitories inclined upwards into a tower.  Looking down on the world gave Draco both a sense of overwhelming power and that of wanting to be violently sick.  He steadied himself, grabbed his wand and began to walk down the steps to the Common Room.  A well placed high heel altered his plans ever so slightly.

        His nose and dignity slightly squashed, Draco brought himself to his feet as gracefully as possible.  "Bugger off Blaise," he said to the smirking girl resentfully.  "I don't need anything else bruised thanks."

        "You stupid git, don't you know _anything?" Blaise asked incredulously.  Although a little taken aback, Draco merely shrugged and tried to get past her; she stuck her arm out to stop him.  He stopped dead, scowling._

        "Make it quick."  

        "I can't quite believe _you didn't know a Doomrae when you saw one," she said.  _

        "A what?"

        "Oh _come on!_"  Blaise threw up her hands in frustration.  "From the description Pansy gave me, it was definitely a Doomrae.  Brought in by a big, jet black owl with silver talons?  Come on, did your father teach you _nothing?" Draco thought back; the silver talons twinkled forebodingly in his memory.  _

        "Oh…my bad."  Draco replied, trying to push his way past her.  This time she obliged, but was smirking unbearably wide.  

        "I suggest you look up the side effects Draco.  It might come in handy."  With that last piece of malevolent advice, she sauntered away, flipping her hair over her shoulder.  

        "'I suggest you look up the side effects Draco'", he mimicked, in a bad mood now.  "'I suggest you bash your head into a wall Draco'…_honestly."  He thwacked the wall with his wand angrily and a thousand blue sparks ricocheted off of the stone steps and wall.  He stood there, watching his own work contently.  "I feel better now."  Draco looked at his watch; if it served him correctly, breakfast was being served.  Walking out of the doors to Slytherin Common Room, he looked around.  He started to go towards the Great Hall, but the sight of the steps ascending to the library stopped him._

        The temptation to follow up Blaise's comment was too great for him to quell.  Looking from side to side to make sure no one was watching, he walked into the library.  The musty smell of books hit him like Granger in third year: stinging and sharp.  Madam Pince looked over her spectacles at him and sniffed.  Undoubtedly, she was not a fan of the Malfoy bloodline.  Draco rolled his eyes at her before walking over to the Restricted Section.  Madam Pince was on him like a vulture. 

        "You are aware, Mr. Malfoy, that the Restricted Section is-"

        "Restricted.  Yes, vaguely," he replied sarcastically.  Madam Pince drew herself up, offended.  

        "Well do you have a teacher's note?"  

        "Yeah," Draco replied, absently whipping out a year old note from Professor Snape.  Madam Pince inspected it closely, finishing her inquiry with a triumphant smile on her face.

        "I'm afraid this is a year old Mr. Malfoy."

        "Well, in the Hogwarts Creed chapter four section twenty two, once a teacher gives you a note it is valid until destroyed," Draco said, sounding very much like he was reciting the text.  Her owlish eyes blinked. 

        "Oh.  Well then- one book."  Disgruntled, she went back behind her desk.  

        "Stupid prat," Draco muttered.  _What kind of a prick would memorize the Hogwarts Creed? Well, besides for that Peter Weasley…_

        His pale fingers traced the spines of the books, which were so old they felt like the very earth had sprung up and become books.  A large black volume caught his eye; it had a drip of blood frozen along its side.  Draco quietly and quickly slid it out of its place and opened it in his arms.  The contents blinked up at him.  It was definitely the book he needed.  

        His thoughts pelted his mind like a hard rain: _If Dumbledork just knew more about Dark Magic they'd know instantly what that thing was…I can't believe I didn't realize it before!...oh that's a disturbing image…here we are! The Doomrae.  _

**_THE DOOMRAE_**

_"Known as thee 'Bringer of Doom', it comes in thee silver talones of a black owl, which has all thee characteristics of a snowy owl except its jet black.  The Doomrae wille rise itselfe up and burst into its natural form, usually a dangerous ray of light (thus the name Doomrae) that can blind, disorient, render unconscious, kill (among other things) to those closest to it at the momente of imploding.  Those it affects can experience such things as heade paine, memory losse or unexplained black outs.  _

        "Bloody hell," Draco said to himself.  "This doesn't look promising."  Shutting the book with a loud 'thump', he brought it over to Madam Pince's desk.  "This one please."  She looked down at him doubtfully.

        "That book?  Why?" she asked suspiciously.  

        "For school," he said, wanting dearly to add _'you old bat'._  She shrugged, picked it up and prodded it with her wand.  It shuddered and then lay still.  

        "There you go.  Enjoy."  Draco nodded to her and left with it under his arm, intending to go up to the Common Room and study it further.  

--

        Hermione had forgotten her Arithmancy book.  She sprinted down the hallway alarmingly fast, dodging students and statues along the way.  As she ran, she saw Filch skulking down the hallway with his loathsome cat.  She bit her lip and stopped dead, looking around for an alternate route.  A door she had never noticed before was to her right, the room inside with light that crushed her eyesight.  Filch was approaching fast, and first class has already started; it didn't look good.  

        Quickly, she ducked into the room and immediately felt herself being pushed forwards.  The light faded away and left Hermione squinting into the now overpowering darkness.  A single torch was lit, and it illuminated the sign that said 'LIBRARY'.  She stomped her foot in frustration.  _The library is nowhere near the Common Room!_  Looking around herself, she suddenly felt a stab in her head, so painful she collapsed onto the cold stone floor.  Holding her hand to her head, she attempted to get back up but failed.  

        To her shock, she found herself fallen on something soft; something that felt human.  Hermione shrieked and inched away from it, wide eyed with horror.  The person got up, nursing his own head.  He looked about as bad as Hermione felt.  The torch was pinched out, and it was tinged blue with the gloomy light from the outside window.  Hermione strained to see through the blue, locating the boy she had fallen on.  His blond hair fell over his wide eyes.  They both looked at each other and at the same instant opened their mouths in terror.

        "Who are you?!?"


	5. Purple

        **A/N: Sorry if this a short chapter, I promise it will be longer next time…of course, this means a longer period of time for me to get it out…**

        Hermione cowered into herself, frightened, looking at Draco with wide brown eyes.  On the contrary, Draco's eyes narrowed.  

        "I don't think _you _should be asking _me _who I am," he said coldly.  Hermione looked slightly offended.  

        "Why can't you just tell me who you are?" she asked practically.  Draco opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it looking puzzled.

        "'Cause I don't know," he replied simply, frowning.  Hermione tilted her head like a puppy, a smile tugging at her lips.  "Who are you?" he asked her quickly. 

        "Umm…good question," she said, giggling.  He sighed irritably.  

        "Do you know what happened?" he asked, tracing the floor with his finger and then pushing himself up with his hand.  He stood up wiping the dust off of his hands in disgust.  

        "How should I know?" Hermione countered, hopping up herself.  She looked around and raised an eyebrow.  "Weird place this- all stone and no light."  Draco nodded in agreement.

        "You'd think they could at least have a couple windows," he added, looking around the drafty corridor with distaste.  Hermione suddenly started rooting through her pockets, turning them inside out and having a few bits of parchment flutter out.  Draco looked at her curiously.  "What on _earth_ are you doing?"

        "Looking for identification," she muttered, triumphantly coming up with a folded sheet of homework.  On the top in very neat handwriting was written 'Hermione Granger for Professor Binns' class'.  Draco looked over her shoulder and laughed.

        "Hermoine?  Weird name," he commented, making Hermione glare.  

        "Well I didn't choose it did I?" she said, folding it back up again.  Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked at Draco critically. 

        "You don't look like you'd have any sort of a nice name either- maybe Mortus or something," she remarked, making the boy fume with indignation.  

        "I will _not _have some nancy boy Latin crap name," he argued, looking in his own pockets.  Producing a note from Blaise, he looked at it and widened his eyes.  "This girl has shitty handwriting."  Hermione snatched it from him and read it quickly.  

        "Wow she really does…but let's see then, it says 'Dear Dr-something, I can't tell what."  Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed it back.  

        "Thank you Captain Obvious," he quipped, looking back down at the note.  "God, just my luck that I lose my memory with a bossy know-it-all."  Hermione narrowed her eyes.

        "At least you're not stuck with a snotty idiot," she argued.  Draco however was ignoring her, and trying to decipher the note.  

        "I think it says-"  he snorted in disgust and threw it on the floor.  "I am not about to go around with the name Druce."  Hermione, who was in the middle of mentally trying to grasp a memory, snorted abruptly with laughter.

        "_Druce?!?_ That is _so much worse than Hermoine!"  Scowling, Draco ignored the howling girl and sat down on the floor again, sulking.  Hermione looked down; her expression softened at the sight of the slightly hurt expression on his face.  Without hesitation, she sat down next to him and stopped laughing.  "Look, I'm sorry ok?  I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."  Draco looked at her suspiciously. _

        "Hurt my feelings? Right," he said sarcastically.  Hermione gave him a Come-On-You-Know-I'm-Right look.  He rolled his eyes.  "OK fine, forgiven."  She grinned happily.  

        "Good.  I may not know who I am really, but I can tell I don't like when people are angry with me." 

        "It's odd not to know where you are or who you are," Draco said, looking at her.  "I guess we'll have to stick this one out together."  Hermione nodded.  

        "Yeah."  There was silence for a moment before Hermione squealed.  

        "What is it??" Draco asked in alarm.  Hermione laughed and took out a long wooden stick.  

        "It poked me…what's this thing?"  Draco shrugged, taking it from her fingers and looking at it.  A few purple stars came out of it as she passed it to him, making Draco drop it in panic and Hermione yelp.  "What did it do?" she asked in a hushed voice.  Now a safe two feet away from the object in question, Draco reassumed his superior air.  

        "Probably a trap of some sort.  Let's get away from here."  Grabbing Hermione by the hand, he helped her up.  They looked at their hands joined and dropped them immediately, blushing like schoolgirls- or schoolboy in Draco's case.  "Erm…I think I see some light from over there!"  Draco started to walk briskly towards it but was stopped when a warm hand took his shyly.  

        "We have to stick this one out together," she reminded him slyly.  He shrugged and grinned slightly, walking down the hallway with the pretty girl holding his hand.

--

        They ended up in a very large room with a sweeping spiral staircase.  To their right, they could hear chatting and happy voices.  Hermione looked at the double doors curiously.  "What's in there you reckon?"  Draco shrugged and started to go off towards it, but was snapped back when Hermione didn't move.  "What's that?"  Her voice and finger shaking, she pointed towards a ghost near the ceiling.  Gulping (and fighting his instinct to scream) Draco shrugged again.

        "I dunno…maybe we should go."  Nodding and white faced, Hermione let Draco lead her towards the double doors.  The ghost, spotting them and giving an eyebrow quirk of surprise, swooped down and landed in front of them.  Hermione screamed and Draco's jaw dropped in shock.  

        "Get away from us!!!"  Hermione shrieked, brandishing her wand like a sword.  Nearly Headless Nick looked at them, his eyes flickering from their clasped hands to their shocked faces and was very confused.

        "Hermione, what are you doing with Draco Malfoy?" he asked slowly, trying to figure the situation out.  

        "Hermione?  Is that how it's pronounced?" she asked, turning to Draco.  

        "I guess…and who's Draco Malfoy?" he asked Nearly Headless Nick inquisitively.  

        "Um…maybe I should get Dumbledore…" he replied looking both amused and worried at the same time.  

        "Who's Dumbledore?" Hermione asked while Draco sniggered at the name.  

        "Headmaster of the school," Nick explained.  "Come on, you don't want to go in there-" he motioned towards the Great Hall, thinking of the reactions the school would most likely have.  However, Hermione had other plans.

        "But it smells so good!" she protested, sniffing the air appreciatively.  "It smells like sausages…I probably like sausages."  

        "Who doesn't like sausages?"  Draco said grinning.  "I'm for some food."  Nick's pale eyes widened.

        "No!  Don't go in there!  I swear it will lead to no good!"  Hermione laughed.  

        "I'm too hungry…come on Druce."  Draco and Hermione pushed open the doors to a laughing body of students.  Draco looked at the mass of faces in amusement, as they had now stopped whatever they were doing to look at them.

        "Do you think maybe we're famous or something?" 

        "Hermione?!?" Ron came up holding a drumstick in his hand, his jaw dropped.  "What are you _doing?!?"  Hermione looked at him quizzically.  _

        "So I know you?  Well I'm getting some food."  Looking completely befuddled (A/N: _funny_ word), he turned to his side at an equally perplexed Harry, holding a goblet of pumpkin juice.

        "Are you all right?" he asked anxiously.  Hermione looked up at Draco.

        "They really seem on edge don't they?" she asked him, laughing slightly.  He nodded, feeling an inexplicable internal feeling of dislike when he looked at the two.  

        "What's your problem?" he asked Harry and Ron, smirking.  

        "What the hell are you doing Malfoy?  Did you enchant her or something?" Ron demanded furiously.  Draco was confused.

        "I'm Malfoy?  Why do they all seem to hate me so much?" Looking down at Hermione (5'5" to his 5'11"), he raised an inquisitive eyebrow.  She grinned.

        "Well, you were an awful prat back in the corridor," she pointed out.  

        "True," he mused.  Ron meanwhile had gone a strange purple color.  

        "'Back in the corridor'? What's _that supposed to mean?" he bellowed, forgetting he was being watched by everyone.  _

        "Well, we woke up next to each other there and couldn't remember anything," Hermione explained, squeezing Draco's hand slightly out of nervousness.  Ron couldn't seem to process this.

        "Hey do you suppose we got really, really drunk or something?" Draco asked Hermione.  She let out a shrill giggle, which was probably a good thing because Ron was now cursing Draco off so badly that he'd receive a year's worth of detentions for it.  

        "You woke up next to each other?" Harry asked, his voice rising slightly out of alarm.  Hermione nodded, and then realization hit her.

        "You don't suppose we…" she stopped dead in horror.  Draco fought the smirk threatening to cover his face.  

        "Maybe," he said, making Hermione make a face. 

        "Ew." 

        "'Ew?'" Draco asked, offended.  "Hey, be nice."  The Hogwarts students listening laughed at this; Malfoy telling someone to be nice? At the laughter, the four turned around to face them as if just realizing they were there.  

        "Oh hello," Hermione greeted them pleasantly.  "My name's Hermione, and this is Druce."  There was a second's pause-

        -and then the entire Hall burst into laughter.  Puzzled and hurt, Hermione looked up at Draco with tears in her eyes.  "I was only trying to be friendly," she said, her voice shaking precariously.  Despite his instincts, he softened.  

        "It's ok," he reassured her awkwardly, smoothing her hair out.  Ron looked about ready to snap, with Harry holding him back ('There's obviously something wrong here Ron, calm down!').  Hermione shivered slightly under his touch, feeling inside like she should be slapping him.  She closed her eyes and fought it; she succeeded.  

        Suddenly Hermione and Draco looked at each other, and simultaneously and silently collapsed on the floor. 

--

        "Hermione?  Hermione, are you ok?"  Hermione opened her eyes warily, her vision foggy and blurred.  The anxious faces of Harry and Ron were first to register in her clogged mind, making her smile.  

        "Hi guys."  They breathed a sigh of relief.  

        "Oh good you're ok," Ron said happily, sitting on a chair near the bed.

        "Where am I?"  Hermione asked, sitting up.  Their eyes widened.

        "You don't remember?"  Harry asked uneasily.  Hermione looked around slowly, the colors of her dorm room entering her eyesight.

        "Oh…why aren't I in the Hospital Wing?" she asked.  Ron and Harry grinned joyfully, and both jumped into telling her what had happened.

        "And you came in all happy and giggly-"

        "It was so weird, I knew something was wrong-"

        "-and with Malfoy on your arm!"

        "-we got you some pumpkin juice look-"

        "Wait whoa, stop," Hermione interrupted, putting her hands up for quiet.  They complied sheepishly.  "Let's start over, shall we?"  They nodded, and bit by bit told her what had happened.  At the end of it, Hermione was completely speechless.

        "Me.  With Malfoy.  Holding hands."  Harry bit his lip trying not to laugh at the incredulous look on her face.  

        "It was pretty weird yeah," he replied while Ron made a face along with Hermione.

        "Weird?  It was deeply disturbing 'Mione," he cut in.  "Honestly, that red thing obviously made some sort of impression!  That thing was bad Dark Magic."  

        "Ginny's still out," Harry said to Hermione's expression.  "They don't know when she'll be up."  Hermione couldn't look at Ron's face for the pain it showed.  

        "We're going to the library."

--

        "What the bloody hell?!?" Draco roared, leaping of the Common Room couch.  Blaise smirked, amused.

        "I'm not lying."

        "Of course you're lying!  That's insane!  Even if I lost my memory I wouldn't _touch her for all the Galleons in Gringotts!" he argued fiercely.  _

        "You've already practically got all the gold in Gringotts," Blaise pointed out.  Not to be swayed, Draco didn't let this bother him.

        "For all the girls in London then," he continued.  "If this a side effect of that bloody Doomrae, I think I'll snap."  Blaise waited for him to finish patiently, tapping her foot on the floor as he paced and ranted.  

        "-and why would I hold her hand?  If I were to assault the Mudblood I'd at least snog her or something," he was saying when Blaise finally decided to intervene.

        "Look Draco, just let it go all right?  I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," she promised, flashing him one of her trademark toothpaste commercial smiles.  He looked at her suspiciously. 

        "Why should I trust you?" he growled.  Blaise smirked again.

        "Who else are you going to trust?"

--


	6. Yellow

**A/N: **You know, when you write these you don't realize how long you make the readers wait. So I'm really, really sorry for the delay- did you know I'm writing four stories at the same time? It's insane.  **Trapped! **(Hogwarts students stuck in a train carriage of the Hogwarts Express) was updated a couple days ago.  **Truly Whipped (my newest one- Ron/Pansy, pretty funny if I do say so myself) was updated yesterday, not even, and **Too Late** (future D/G)…eek, I don't want to think about when I last updated that.  But anyway, here's your next chapter…and hey, maybe if you're getting bored while waiting for the next chapter you can check out my others.**

--

        "Hermione, we've been here for _hours," Ron moaned, hitting his head on the ancient book repeatedly and causing a riot of dust to come out of it.  Hermione rolled her eyes and motioned toward the clock.  Harry looked up from his book, amused, as Ron looked slightly abashed.  "All right, so twenty minutes isn't so bad.  But honestly, what are you expecting to find?!?" _

        "Side effects of that thing," Hermione replied without moving her head from the tiny print.  Ron sighed in exasperation and brought his head up from the book; the words blurred together and swam in front of his eyes.  

        "This is ridiculous!  I can't do it!" he declared loudly, resulting in an icy glare from Madam Pince.  

        "Do you want to help Ginny or not?" Hermione snapped suddenly.  Harry raised an eyebrow over his glasses at the gobsmacked look on Ron's face.  He narrowed his eyes slightly, but returned to poring over the book. 

        "That's what I thought," she muttered sighing, leaning back and rubbing her temples wearily.  

        "Are you sure you don't want to come tomorrow, when we're on a full night's sleep?" Harry asked warily, afraid she'd explode or something.  

        "Positive.  If you don't want to be here, then by all means piss off."  This made both Ron and Harry astounded- Hermione _never _cursed like that, _especially_ in the library which was sort of her holy chapel.  They sighed and resigned to the fact that it would be a very long, very musty night of searching.

--

        "Hi Drucie!" a Slytherin seventh year taunted, waggling her fingers in a mocking tone as she went up the girl dormitory steps.  Her friends shrieked with giggles as Draco glared at their backs.  

        "I hate this," he said in a low tone to Blaise, sitting next to him.  

        "Too fucking bad.  It's not _my _fault you were too thick to duck when you saw the bloody owl," was the blunt response.  

        "Well that made me feel better.  Breakfast?" Draco said sarcastically.  Blaise just laughed and began inspecting her shiny red nail once again.  

        "Too full from sausages last night."  Suddenly, a flash of the Great Hall went before Draco's eyes- the golden yellow walls, the staring faces…the girl exclaiming about her probable love of sausages.  He scowled and shook his head.  Blaise gave him an annoyingly all-knowing look.  "It's coming back, isn't it?" she asked with relish. 

        "Sod off."

        "I knew it!" she crowed triumphantly, putting her nail down at long last.  "You're going to remember it all now…can I watch?"

        "NO!" Draco roared, snapping.  "This is so ridiculous, just-just go away Blaise!" Blaise got up huffily.

        "Well fine!  See if I offer you any more helpful advice!" Draco snorted at her bouncing backside.

        "Helpful advice?!? More like idle death threats, you pansy!" he yelled after her heatedly, only to hear a simpering whine from behind him.  Slowly, he turned around and gasped with horror.

        "Did you say 'Pansy'?" Pansy Parkinson batted her eyelashes furiously, not seeming to notice Draco's terrified expression.

--

        Hermione yawned and looked over at her friends: Harry fought to keep his eyelids open while Ron was unabashedly snoring loudly on one of the open books.  She scowled and prodded him with her wand.  "Get up you lump!" He snorted and flicked open his eyes.

        "Whaa…" he began, but met Hermione's annoyed look and closed his mouth.  Harry looked up at his friends and shut his book loudly, causing them both to jump.

        "I'm tired Hermione," he stated wearily, leaning his elbow on the closed volume in exhaustion.  Hermione sighed and closed hers as well.  Ron grinned and followed suite gladly.

        "This is getting us nowhere," she said sadly.  "I'm worn out."

        "I second the excellent notion of sleep," Ron cut in, getting up and stretching out as he yawned.  Hermione, getting up, looked over her shoulder at the now resting books.

        "There has to be _something in this library…" she muttered in disbelief, as she ran her hands through her hair and trudged out with Harry and Ron at her side._

        There was…but then Draco Malfoy checked it out.

--

        It was with a very aggravated temper that Draco woke up the next morning.  It had taken a good twenty minutes to pry Pansy off of him and then escape quickly and quietly up the stairs.  It didn't help that Blaise was having her own little snigger as she watched Draco in his desperation.  "Oh I was such a prat," he muttered, swinging his legs over the side of his bed as he thought of his sudden whim the year before to invite Pansy to that daft ball.  He rubbed his temples wearily and sighed, leaning against the bedpost in exhaustion.  He was never a morning person.  

        The window, slightly open, ruffled a chilling breeze on his bare legs, causing him to curl up in agony under the duvets.  "Christ it's bloody cold!" Shivering, he got up and latched it shut.  A black silhouette on the pale yellow horizon made him freeze mid-latch.    Draco narrowed his eyes, squinting to try and make it out and nearly had a heart attack when he pinned it in his brain.  Another Doomrae.

--

        "I don't understand, Dumbledore didn't even know, it has to be something very, very bad," Hermione was saying as Harry and Ron, slouched on a Common Room couch in front of her, nodded politely at intervals. 

        "Yes Hermione, it's a terrible, terrible thing," Ron sympathized, yawning broadly.  Hermione rolled her eyes at his obvious lack of interest and instead opted to harass Harry.

        "You understand, don't you Harry?" she implored, looking at him desperately.  He started, looked at her, and blinked behind his glasses.

        "Pardon?"

        "Oh honestly!" Hermione huffed, getting up and stalking away.  Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged before lapsing into tired silence once more.

        Hermione fumed as she walked to her window seat in the dorm she shared with the other girls and looked out the window.  "Boys," she sighed, not for the first time wishing that she had a female friend she could gripe to.  Suddenly, a tar black wing grazed her window as it soared.  Hermione shrieked at the abruptness and fell off of her chair with a CLUNK.  That wing looked very familiar…

--

This is incredibly short, but I need it uploaded. Cheers!


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